The Middle Distance Runner And Recovery

My friend and amazing runner Alisa Harvey Mother’s Day Special Track Mom Alisa Harvey 800m Runner

Alisa Harvey (Part 2 ) A Special Track Mom    Happy Mother’s Day ….. (Part 3) Alisha Harvey has  given us a tip for youth middle distance runners.  She will be contirbuting from time to time just for the middle distance athlete. You are in for a real treat.

 RECOVERY   Hard work deserves plenty of rest.  When youth athletes are exploring the challenges of middle distance running they are often performing new challenging activities.  Interval sessions, distance runs, and speed work are each physically taxing by themselves.  A middle distance runner must incorporate a variety of training routines in order to perform just one 800m or 1600m run.    Do not attempt to do distance runs on the same day as you do an interval training session.  The young body usually can not handle high intensity training.  A youth middle distance runner should wait until high school before they perform rigorous workouts.  Keep the training light in intensity.  There is plenty of time to do high intensity workouts once the youth athlete reaches high school age.   Do not do two hard workouts on back-to-back days.  All runners including youth are better served by alternating hard days and easy days.  A youth middle distance runner should follow-up a speed training day with an easy distance run the next day.   Take complete days off.  The young body is continuing to grow.  It is more important for a youth distance runner to grow well than run well.   If adequate rest is not taken by a youth runner injuries become almost inevitable.  Shin splints are a popular injury for young athletes.  A middle distance runner that is experiencing shin splints should immediately take time off from running and investigate their footwear and running surfaces.  Better shoes and softer training surfaces can often prevent shin splints.  Though often even the best of care cannot curtail a lower leg injury on a young growing body.   

 Alisa Harvey

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5. Mother’s Day Special Track Mom Alisa Harvey 800m Runner